Patos Island

The bedrock outcrops of Patos Island are made up of rock that formed from hardened sediment which was deposited about 50 million years ago, during the Eocene. The sediments were left behind by a river that carried minerals and rocks from eastern Washington, prior to the formation of the Cascade Mountains. The climate along this river was tropical, with the presence of forests indicated by fossilized wood typical of the Chuckanut Formation. While much of the shale from these geologic processes has eroded, the more-resistant sandstone and conglomerate forms the basis of the island's ridge lines. Off the southwestern shore of Patos Island, separated by of water, there is a smaller island called Little Patos Island. The sheer cliff faces and densely forested surface make this smaller island inaccessible. == History ==

Indigenous use and European colonization Prior to European colonization, Patos Island served as a seasonal fishing, hunting, and camping ground for the Lummi (Xwlemi) and Samish (Xws7ámesh) people. The Samish called the island Tl’x’óy7ten in the Samish dialect of North Straits Salish, meaning "Place of Harvesting Oysters." Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the Lummi and Samish continued to use the island to fish despite increased European presence and fishery restrictions. The name Patos comes from the Spanish pato, meaning "duck," which was given to the island in 1792 by Commander Dionisio Alcalá Galiano of the Sutil and Captain Cayetano Valdés y Flores of the Mexicana. Galiano and Valdés later shared their charts with Captain George Vancouver, who was surveying the area on behalf of the United Kingdom. Patos Island was among the contested islands in the 1859 Pig War between the United States and the United Kingdom. The British Admiralty christened the eastern cape Toe Point in 1858. Upon the creation of the lighthouse, the island became an attraction for the public, with several hundred visiting each year, often staying with the lighthouse keepers or camping on the island. The Coast Guard relinquished most of the island to the Bureau of Land Management in 1987. Present-day The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (WSPRC) began leasing the island from the U.S. Coast Guard in 1974, with a provision for the creation of campsites, creating Patos Island Marine State Park. In 2002, when the Coast Guard relinquished full control, the Coast Guard buildings were demolished and the lighthouse was renovated by 2007. The entire island, including the lighthouse, became part of the San Juan Islands National Monument upon its creation by U.S. President Barack Obama in 2013. Upkeep of the island is shared between the Bureau of Land Management, which owns the island, Washington State Parks, and Keepers of the Patos Light, a nonprofit organization focused on preserving the National Historic Site of Patos Light. The Keepers of the Patos Light staff an interpretive center in the lighthouse during select summer weekends. ==Recreation==

In 2014, Patos Island saw 8,500 visitors. The island has seven primitive camp sites, a picnic area, and a scenic trail that leads to the lighthouse. There is no potable water and the recreation facilities are served by two composting toilets. In addition to the historic lighthouse and remnants of Coast Guard building foundations, the island is known for wildlife viewing, with both a registered marine mammal haul-out site and seasonally nesting seabirds, fishing, and crabbing. Unlike the more developed west side of the island, the east side has been designated as wilderness by the BLM. The island is only accessible by boat and sea kayak, with mooring buoys available in Active Cove, located in the small channel between Patos Island and Little Patos Island. Point Roberts, Orcas Island, and Blaine are the nearest ports-of-call to Patos Island. ==See also==